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Feel Like Giving?

Are you in a giving mood? Do you have extra cash burning a hole in your checkbook just waiting for an opportunity? Do you need to atone for your immoral DNF at your 100 miler this year? (relax, I’m just kidding) Here are some ways to part with your cash – all of which are related to ultrarunners.

Skaggs at Where's Waldo

Erik Skaggs – Medical Expenses

Whatever your position or thoughts are on the current national healthcare debate, one of our own still needs help. You may recall that Erik Skaggs smashed the course record at Where’s Waldo this year and ran himself right into the hospital with acute renal failure. His kidneys started functioning again after a couple of weeks, and similar to the ending of Strange Brew, he shed 35 pounds of fluid! Not sure if he was able to help put out any fires, though, like Bob McKenzie. Erik’s doing better, and despite getting some coverage from USATF, the medical expenses for the uninsured 27-year-old are substantial. The folks at Rogue Valley Runners and Southern Oregon Runners have organized a benefit run and raffle for Erik on October 24 in Ashland. The Birds of a Feather 2 mile and 5 mile races have no set entry fee so you can donate what you wish. The last day to mail in your entry is Friday. After that you’ll have to do so in person at Rogue Valley Runners. In addition to the run there is an accompanying raffle. See the RVR blog for more info and an application. See you there.

Dave looking sharp

Dave Terry – Memorial Rock

With the unexpected passing of ten-time WS finisher, ten-time Wasatch finisher, and mentor to many ultrarunners in the Pacific Northwest, Dave Terry, friends of his are trying to secure funds to create a memorial rock to be placed in Forest Park in Portland. The total raised so far is a paltry $500. In the words of his friend Steve Smucker:

“For those wanting to make a donation in Dave’s name, we have set up an account at the Forest Park Conservancy, which maintains Portland’s Forest Park, which houses Dave’s favorite place to run, the Wildwood Trail. We will be placing a plaque on a rock on the trail in Dave’s memory. Contributions of all sizes, even $25 to $50, are much appreciated. It will be so nice to have a rock memorial in a location where so many runners will be able to see it. Thank you.

Not sure what you were doing at 24 years old, or maybe you’re not even there yet, but I sure wasn’t thinking about needy kids in Mongolia. I was just out of grad school and starting my new first “real” job as a nerd in Arizona. Not so with my friend Nathan K. Blair, a.k.a. Pierre, who has been training with us in Eugene going on two years now. Pierre, who paced me at Western States this year, thought of combining his new found love of ultrarunning with his desire to help impoverished kids get an education through an organization called Edurelief. So, he got pledges to earn money if he completed his goal of Way Too Cool 50k, PCT 50 miler, Where’s Waldo 100k, and then Hundred in the Hood 100miler. He finished each in fine style and with a great attitude. I originally pledged to give him $100 but then John Ticer came along and pledged a dollar a mile so I’m now having to cough up 243 bucks. Here’s to you, Nathan. What a great example for the rest of us.

@geoff roes, Geoff, and, I am glad that you took my little jab in the spirit in which it was intended. I hope you realize I did not intend to re-open the issue that led to over 150 comments on your blog and Jill’s blog but rather was just having a little off-season fun.

And, I keep looking for your name to pop up on the WS entrants list. Are you going to sign up? And/or I heard a rumor that Anton will go to Bandera in January to try to “win” a spot. Be great to see you guys go head to head.

@AJW, i have never met tony but i was thinking of seeing if he wanted to run western states together. i thought we could try to push each other to a course record and if we were both able to sustain that pace we could finish together in a tie, and if we dropped off the pace we could simply drop out to save ourselves for another race. anyone know how i could get a hold of him?

@geoff roes, Now that’s a great idea for another post: Holding Hands at the Finish. I could interview players from a couple of the classics like Howard and Latimer at WS in 1981, Ricklefs and McDowell at a 50 miler a few years ago, Skaden and Wolfe at the 100 mile trail championship a year ago…

Geoff, I read through that blog post after AJW posted the link. Just wanted to say, you have some mom, man!

She really came to bat for you. Not sure if it was a little embarrassing at the time, but we should all be so lucky to have a mom like that.

It is obvious that she respects what you do and loves you a lot. That is a great mom.

I also quite frankly, thought some of the comments on the other side, offering you some practical advice were good and quite fair, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, follow your gut and heart to wherever they lead, and get there in the way you are being led to do so. It’s your journey.

@Nathan Blair,

Your thoughfulness, in thinking about finding a way through your running to help impoverished kids get a better education, is exemplary.

Congratulations on your running progress and results this year, but more importantly, thank you for thinking of others and “going the extra mile(s)” to help them out in the process.

I met Nathan working the aid station at mile 70 at Hood. Even after 70 miles, he took the time to tell me about his fundraising, without being pushy or anything, but very convincing. I made a mental note to remember his name and his website so I could find out more. Naturally, I forgot his name and the name of his website. Glad to find it here. Thanks for the post!

Cannot believe that Geoff actually re-opened (without LB calling him on it) the dialogue about dropping out of ultras simply because the pace is off. I guess that settles it, Roes really has no external incentives or sense of obligation to finish a race. It’s all about the records, all about the glory. I say “phooey”, if you enter WS, then run it all, sucker, or don’t run it at all. And I don’t include Tony K in this discussion (yet), because again, he couldn’t walk it in at Leadville, he had no choice but to drop. But the two darlings should hold hands together if they both feel the same way about it. For me, it’s all about the shared journey…even if I was king of the mountain, I’d feel the same. But I guess if you’re trying to make a living at it, or a name for yourself, then you owe it to yourself to live for another day. Again, injury is one thing, but simply falling off record WS pace is not a good reason to quit, in my humble, back-of-the-pack opinion. Not good for the sport at all.

@TrailClown, sarcasm, my friend, sarcasm. i guess maybe i need to stop doing that because invariably someone always seems to think i’m being serious. or maybe i need to attach a fine print disclaimer with anything i post that 70% of what i say is sarcastic and 40% is bull $h!t…

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This is Craig Thornley's ultrarunning blog. It’s a blend of humor, opinion, insight, history, adventure, and sometimes just plain ridiculousness from the perspective of an ultrarunner and race director. You'll find lots of info about Western States 100 so look around. Hopefully the blog will provide some useful information, conduct your juices, or make you laugh.